By
Abdul Hannan Siwani Nadvi
Importance of education is unarguable. Islam is the first religion that acknowledged the world about knowledge and education. The first four verses of Qura'an reveled to Prophet Mohammad (Sallal laho alaihe wasalam), states only about education and knowledge.
Allah says; Read [O Muhammad!] in the name of your Lord who created. (96.1) He created man from a clot. (96.2) Read, and your Lord is the Most Honorable (96.3) who taught with the pen. (96.4)
In these four verses, Allah says nothing why He selected Prophet Mohammad (Sallal laho alaihe wasalam) as His messenger, or what he has to do, Allah keeps silent at this moment.
He starts delivering His message to Prophet Mohammad (Sallal laho alaihe wasalam) with word “Read”. It's mean reading and making literate is a very most and significant tool in changing the phenomenon of the world.
This time, education is the most and significant topic of discussion in every country. Getting education and establishing world-class educational institutions has become a distinction in this era. Even the trend of going abroad, taking admission in famous and prominent schools and universities, and studying there is advancing very rapidly.
This is a very good sign and it shows that world has conceded the endowment of education.
Now, when it has been established that education is very must for every individual; question arises; which education is the best for human beings? Which education should be taught in schools and universities? Does modern educational system which is continuing in schools and universities, is the best educational system? Does the syllabus is being taught in schools and universities playing a role in damaging Muslims identity in India? Does current modern educational system depriving Muslims from Islam?
Such as, there are endless questions about modern education and its systems that are being applied into schools and universities.
First we see which education Islam likes.
Qura'an sheds the light with details on the education that is the best for all human beings and humanities. Qura'an encourages human beings to get all education that makes them closer to Allah, helps them in protecting society from bad elements and makes them a civilized nation and citizens.
Here is a misperception rules in Muslim community that Islam dislikes technical education, in other words modern education, or the education which is going on in schools and universities this time.
This perception and notion have been made by Muslims themselves because they kept themselves away from Qura'an and Islam. Muslims do not read Qura'an, as they understand reading the Qura'an would leave them away from modern education, and thus, they could not become a successful engineer or doctor or advocate, or architecture etc.
Now; let us see what Qura'an says;
Do they not look at the camels, how they are created? (17) And at the heaven, how it is raised? (18) And the mountains, how they are rooted (and fixed firm)? (19) And at the earth, how it is outspread? (20) (Surah. AlGhashiyah)
In these verses, Qura'an asks Muslims and everyone to look camel, heaven, mountains and earth that how and why it is created and made useful for human beings. These verses of Qura'an ask Muslims to do research, open research institutions and teach their children the education that makes them closer to Allah.
Qura'an wants that human beings do develop themselves, fly into sky, use laptop, mobile, I-Pad, I-Phone, and take benefits from all technologies are available in this planet. In response of using these technologies, human beings prevent themselves from joining any partner with Him, protect themselves from all sins that make Allah angry, and be thankful of Him that He awarded them these graces and facilities so that they can live in this world peacefully and establish the system of justice for all humanities.
These and other Qur'anic verses reject Muslim's misperception about modern education. So, this education is not banned in Islam. However, the system of this education Muslims are getting in schools and universities in India is a questionable.
Eventually, young Muslim generation that is going to schools and universities to take modern education turning them out from Islamic teachings as well as the tendency to keep Islamic identity alive is also decreasing in young Muslim generation.
This young Muslim generation is unaware about Islam, rights of parents, rights of neighbors, rights of common man; Islamic history; Islamic teachings; Islamic role and regulations; Muslim's history; how Islam spread in Mekkah; how it reached to other countries; what had happened with Muslims in Spain; how Muslim rulers established Islamic system; who are Muslims scientists; how many Muslim scientists were; what were their contribution in science; how the fall of Muslims started; how many years Muslims ruled on India; how Islam arrived here; what Muslim rulers did in this country; what were their history; what Muslims did with other nations and vice versa? What is the economic system of Islam? What are the rights of Muslim women in Islam? And such as a lot of questions and information this Muslim generation does not know.
Today, Muslim names have much familiar in every professional field, but hardly their attitude and their culture shows that they are the followers of Islam.
AMU, JMI, Jamia Hamdard and other Muslim universities had been established to arrange a best platform of modern education to Muslim students, producing an Islamic atmosphere in their campuses so that Muslim students able to play a role in society with Islamic identity.
This concept, however, has changed. These Muslim universities in making of its secular image, failed to create the generation that be Imam in modern education as well as they be a true follower of Islam too.
Most Muslim students, who come out from these universities do not know ABCD of Islam. The young Muslim generation that is studying there is growing up in the atmosphere that is turning them out from Islamic atmosphere and Islamic education.
Every year, Muslim universities produce thousands of Muslim students, but they go where; joining of this new blood with Indian society why leaves no effect on Muslim's situation.
This time Muslim's presence in medical, technical, IT and other professional fields is on rise. Their situation is transforming very rapidly. Young Muslim generation is thinking very positively. Educational rates have increased in Muslim community. Muslims, specially, poor Muslims have learned the tactic to fight against poverty and illiteracy.
The situation, which was after the independence, is not now. On various levels, Muslims gained their confidence. But, the saddest angel of it, this young Muslim generation is not getting proper education that teach them about Islam, Muslims and Islamic history enabling them to play a role in technical fields.
Many Muslims, this time, are working in professional fields and they have respect and place there. However, they unable to present the true image of Islam in their respected fields, they never went to Masjid to offer prayers there, even Friday prayer. They do not know what are Zakat, Namaz, Haj etcetera; so, how we expect some hopes from them?
None of them can be seen as a defender of Islam and Muslims. Even many of them support anti-Islamic movement, or anti-Islamic ideologies, and sometimes, they pose more dangerous than Hindutva goons; why is it happening? Why Islam and Muslims find no sympathizers even from young Muslim generation.
The reason is very clear. These young Muslim girls and boys have no knowledge about Islam and Muslims. They spend five years or seven years in schools and colleges; where they get technical education; but, there is no arrangement of delivering the education about Islam and Islamic history to them.
My so many friends who are the students of these universities and colleges, they neither perform prayers five time a day, nor keep fast during the month of Ramzan. Their life style lands me in shock; what education they got; how they can defend Islam and Muslims in that atmosphere? How we expect from them that they will present the true picture of Islam and Muslims before other nations?
Muslims, as a Muslim community and as a believer of Islam hardly survive in this country, if this situation remains to continue.
Staying of young educated Muslim generations away from Islam and Islamic history is not a good sign for Indian Muslims.
Our ancestors didn't fight for the generation that is Imam in modern education; while it knows nothing about its history, its religion and its identity.
Need of the hour that Muslim intellectuals think on this angel; why this kind of negligence, specially about Islam is increasing in Muslim students; which kind of Muslim generation growing is; how this young generation can be a fruitful for Islam, Muslims and the country?
21-04-2011
